ARNE SLOT: MAYBE MOHAMED SALAH KNOWS ABOUT MAN CITY'S CHARGES

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has joked that Manchester City might not be in the Premier League next season amid the ongoing investigation into the club's compliance with financial rules.

The Premier League charged City on 115 counts of financial regulations in February 2023 after initially opening an investigation five years earlier.

Slot's comments came in response to a question about Mohamed Salah's Liverpool future after the Egypt international said Sunday's 2-0 win over City could be the last time he faces Pep Guardiola's side at Anfield as the uncertainty over his future at the club continues.

"Maybe Mo knows more about the 115 acquisitions [charges] so expects them not to be there in the Premier League next season," Slot quipped in a news conference on Tuesday ahead of Liverpool's trip to Newcastle United.

"The boring answer is always the same. This is not the place for me to talk about Mo's contract. It was a joke, I repeat it was a joke."

City strongly deny all the charges against them, and claimed in a statement released in response to the initial charges that they have "irrefutable evidence" to support their position and "look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all."

The charges relate to a 14-season period from 2009-10 onwards and comprise 54 counts of failing to provide accurate information, 14 counts of failing to provide accurate details for player and manager payments, seven counts of breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR), five counts of failing to comply with UEFA regulations including financial fair play (FFP) and 35 counts of failing to cooperate with Premier League investigations from 2018 onwards.

Arne Slot was referencing Mohamed Salah's comments about Sunday's win against Manchester City possibly being his last Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport via Getty Images

Liverpool's victory over City on Sunday saw Slot's side move 11 points clear of the champions and nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table. However, the Dutchman has played down talk of his side being title favourites, insisting there is a long way to go until the end of the season.

"It's not that special for us to be on top of the Premier League or the Champions League," he said.

"This club, this team, these players are used to be top of the league and competing for every trophy. They have experienced this. They also know it's a long season and to win the league against the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and City -- because I see those three as our main competitors -- that you have to be on top of our game for 10 months.

"We've seen the quality of the three already and know we have to stay on top of our game. We now face Newcastle who beat Arsenal and Chelsea at home, and drew with City. They don't need me to tell them how tough a game it will be."

- Beth Lindop, Correspondent

JOSÉ MOURINHO: I COULD STILL WIN THE PL WITH MAN UNITED

Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho speaks to the media after Fenerbahce's draw with Samsunspor(Image: Veysel Altun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Jose Mourinho said mischievously that he's still hopeful he could become a Premier League Champion with Manchester United if Manchester City are retroactively docked points due to Financial Fair Play breaches.

City are facing 115 charges of breaking Premier League financial regulations and face the possibility of being stripped of their titles or docked points if found guilty.

Mourinho led United to second place in the 2017-18 season -- finishing 19 points behind champions City

"We finished second in the Premier League," Mourinho said at a news conference Wednesday. "I think we still have a chance to win that league because maybe they punish Man City with points and maybe we win that league and they have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal."

Fenerbahce head coach Mourinho was speaking ahead of his team's Europa League showdown against United on Thursday

He said he expects his former club to soon be successful, despite the ongoing turbulence at the Premier League club. Erik ten Hag's team are 12th in the standings after winning just three of their opening eight league games and are winless in the Europa League.

"Having analysed them with my team, there is work there and they will succeed sooner or later," he said. "I want them to be successful. I wish the best for the coach and players.

"I want the best for them. If things are not going amazingly well for them, it's not something that makes me happy."

Mourinho said he understands United fans' frustration after a run of just one win in nine European matches.

Ten Hag's side ended a five-match winless run in Saturday's 2-1 league win over Brentford.

"They have a better team than the results are showing," Mourinho said.

Despite their struggles this season, Mourinho said United can lift the Europa League.

"If I have to say now who are the two biggest candidates to win the Europa League, I think it's easy, I would say Manchester United and Tottenham," he said. "The Premier League is a different level of quality, a different level of intensity, of pace, of tactical culture, of everything. Tomorrow we are going to play against one of the two strongest teams."

United coach Ten Hag took over in April 2022 and has led United to two trophies -- the Carabao Cup in 2023 and last season's FA Cup.

"They keep faith in the coach," Mourinho said of United's backing of Ten Hag. "They support the coach, the coach is staying season after season and that means stability, it means trust."

Mourinho, who coached United from 2016 to 2018, winning a Europa League and Carabao Cup, was sacked with his team 11 points adrift of the Champions League places in December 2018.

"They are giving him [Ten Hag] conditions to keep developing his job," Mourinho said. "That was a difference in relation to me."

- Adriana Garcia

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